Just how bad is vintage 2011 shaping up for Hunter Valley ?

[cuttlefish]

I heard way before Christmas that it was a way too wet vintage in the Hunter Valley, and it's not dried out tremendously since then. The current forecast is for a lot more rain in the coming days and weeks. What a bugger. Other parts of eastern Australia must be experiencing the same situation. Way too wet. Will 2011 be one to forget ?

[dingozegan]

it was a way too wet vintage in the Hunter Valley, and it's not dried out tremendously since then. The current forecast is for a lot more rain in the coming days and weeks... Will 2011 be one to forget ?

It's looking pretty bleak at the moment, but there's still some time to go. If there's sufficient drying out in between rain events it at least won't be dire, and of course it will vary with mesoclimate anyway. Jury's not yet out I'd say.

[pokolbinguy]

Don't write us off just yet. Things have been shaping up quite nicely since xmas with some nice warm weather and the odd bit of rain (nothing to worry about). Grapes are looking good and if the weather can stay on our side for the next month then we should see a great vintage for 2011.

Fruit has already started to come into some of the wineries....all I can say on that note is .....bring it on!!!

Pok

http://www.cessnockadvertiser.com.au/ne ... torypage=1

[n4sir]

Don't write us off just yet. Things have been shaping up quite nicely since xmas with some nice warm weather and the odd bit of rain (nothing to worry about). Grapes are looking good and if the weather can stay on our side for the next month then we should see a great vintage for 2011.

Fruit has already started to come into some of the wineries....all I can say on that note is .....bring it on!!!

Pok

http://www.cessnockadvertiser.com.au/ne ... torypage=1

Funny, because over at Bert's place someone has just said nearly the exact opposite:

The guys I know in The Grampians are travelling OK. The ground is soaked, so they need it to warm up and stay warm for a bit. Fingers crossed.

Same applies to to Hunter Valley up here as far as I can tell. They have an immediate requirement for dry warm weather.

Warming up wont help now.

[pokolbinguy]

Funny, because over at Bert's place someone has just said nearly the exact opposite:

Warming up wont help now.

Hmmm, well someone (e.g. Dan Clarke) can be nice and negative then can't they.... If they wan't to come and look at the grapes then that might change their opinion!!

From what I have looked at, fruit is clean and things are shaping up nicely. Pre-Xmas was not looking good. Excess rain in late spring was making things look rather daunting and shaping up for another 08/09 scenario or even another 2010. We have had a little rain here and there but as normal here in the hunter the wind comes in the evening and dries it all out of the canopies but the soil gets some nice moisture.

The Hunter is a very different region to the rest, built to cope....smaller canopies, and smaller crops (average 1-2t/acre, unlike SA which is more like double or triple in McLaren Vale, Barossa etc) and frequent maintenance (sprays etc) to keep on top of things. Disease pressure is normal up here and being active to stop it is common. We tend not to have the shock problems that you would find in other areas such as the Barossa where if there is an issue of Mildew or similar then the affect can hit home quickly as they are not prepared.

Anyhoo time to hit the sack, got to get the winery clean for grapes on Monday.

Pok

[Loztralia]

Best of luck with it. Would be a shame to see another write-off so soon after 2008.

[DaveB]

You're giving it a bit of the Murray Tyrrell mate....good to see

Good luck bringing it all in and let's hope it doesn't hail

[Hindmarsh]

Provided there is no more torrential rain, I am hoping 2011 is not a write-off in the Hunter, though of all wine regions in Australia, the Hunter is the most likely to have even a once in 100 year vintage wiped out in 2-3 days of torrential summer rain/hail, so it is a lottery still.

Unless the vintage is like other write-off years, at least some of the select vineyards/ mesoclimates should produce some nice wines. Fingers crossed.

[Craig(NZ)]

i need some bad vintages in some of my favourite regions to give my bank account a chance!!

[GraemeG]

Provided there is no more torrential rain, I am hoping 2011 is not a write-off in the Hunter, though of all wine regions in Australia, the Hunter is the most likely to have even a once in 100 year vintage wiped out in 2-3 days of torrential summer rain/hail, so it is a lottery still.

Unless the vintage is like other write-off years, at least some of the select vineyards/ mesoclimates should produce some nice wines. Fingers crossed.

They get these one-in-a-hundred-year climatic events every 6-8 years it seems!
I was up in the Hunter last weekend and the general opinion seemed to be that if there was NO more rain at all things would be fine.
cheers,
G

[Craig(NZ)]

Call in the marketing departments!!!

A bit of plastic surgery and airbrushing of the vintage will careful prose should see everyone right!!

[JG]

Does anyone have any up to date views on 2011 hunter vintage?

cheers

[cuttlefish]

I've spoken to one producer who says that they dodged a bullet this vintage. It was looking bleak with all the wet weather, but it did stay warm and sunny enough later in the vintage that they got through relatively unscathed. Some mildew, but nothing too concerning. So for them 2011 is looking OK, and some later ripening grape varieties (merlot, cab.franc, cab.sauv) said to be looking outstanding.

[AndrewCowley]

Will it be a cracker vintage for Hunter shiraz though?

Semillon doesn't do it for me but Hunter shiraz is something I care a lot about...

[Gary W]

Will it be a cracker vintage for Hunter shiraz though?

Semillon doesn't do it for me but Hunter shiraz is something I care a lot about...

Terrific semillon and excellent reds. Most of them are really happy.